Changing Sealed for life bearings

[Jus]

I am planning to change the sealed for life bearings on my R M trailer.

Any useful information from those with experience would be appreciated!

[Nasher]

4ft scaffold pole to undo and retighten the nut.

Plus of course a big hammer and drift to remove them.

Nasher

[Bigmuz7]

Make sure you only apply pressure to the outer shell when fitting the new ones, otherwise you will damage the bearings. Better still .. If you can, take your hubs to a local garage who will press out the old ones and put the new ones in, in a jiffy

[9D280]

...and whatever you do, DON'T hammer the new ones onto the shaft!

[Jus]

Thanks for the replies.

Any recommendations for where to get the tools? I'd like to do the job myself if possible.

[Pete7]

How long have those nuts been on? having snapped a 1/2 drive breaker bar standing on the end of a 4 foot pole trying to undo the nut, I had to borrow 3/4 drive stuff from work to get a rusty nut off but still needed the 4 foot scafold bar. Hub came off easily enough and the large circlips popped out after a fashion once the grove was cleaned up. However I had to take the hubs into trailer tek to borrow there 20 tonne press to get the bearings out. The press was visably bending before the bearing shot out with a huge bang. New ones went back in okay. If you have the option fit new nuts as they are one shot only and not supposed to be used again.

Quite a few on here use: http://www.trailertek.com/

Good luck

Pete

[Rogue Wave]

Macine mart for tools I guess or Honest Johns on e bay

Presses are good but if you don't heed that advice then use the old bearings to drift the new ones on.

Nowadays to save fkkn about instead of carrying a spare wheel I carry a complete wheel/tyre/hub/bearing when towing sealed bearing trailers it's a lot quicker than changing a wheel.

[Jus]

Thanks all for the information, really useful.

They have both my bearings and hub nuts at TrailerTek.

The trailer is only a couple of years old so I'm optimistically hoping the corrosion is not too bad. I guess I'll find out soon enough!

[yorfuoj]

"sealed for life" and you must replace them ...! Why ?

It occured to me on a french trailer, the reason was : internal grease sealer too large by 2mm on the axle ! So free entry for sea water

[Limey Linda]

Heat the hub up a bit and they will drift out and new ones in very easily. Wear gloves. Do not melt all the grease out of the new ones.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by yorfuoj

"sealed for life" and you must replace them ...! Why ?

They don't say they are waterproof, just sealed for life, so you can't take them apart

Think they are actually ordinary car wheel bearings which have a dust cover. Fine on a ford mondeo not so good on a boat trailer.

Pete

[Limey Linda]

"sealed for life" means sealed for the life of the bearing not your life or your trailers life. It's a bunch of marketing BS. Convert to taper roller bearings which if properly maintained may exceed your life.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Pete7

... just sealed for life, so you can't take them apart

.....Oh, No?

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....hlight=bearing

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....hlight=bearing

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jono

.....Oh, No?

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....hlight=bearing

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....hlight=bearing

Oh I knew that was coming

Having gotten the damn things out why would you want to take them apart and try to clean them up, just skip them and fit some new ones, better still just fit proper bearings that can be taken apart on the side of the M27 on a Sunday evening with a screw driver and a hammer. Then replaced, but you know that anyway.

Pete

[Jeff]

I dont know if RM use Avonride axles - but I have a cross reference for most bearing manufacturers with part numbers for both X and Y series ......
PM if you want as I cannot attach a word doc to this post.
You can get them from most bearing suppliers or from car spares/motor factors. If you have the old bearing part number google it and you may find a site that lists equivalents. These are a cheaper source than even TrailerTek or Western Towing whom I had used before. The nuts are definitely worth getting though..... also check that the bearings from a motor factor come with two circlips as some dont and you need them.
Jeff

You may need a press to actually get them out .... and use the old carrier to to push the new ones in. As others say, do not put pressure on the inner.

.... sealed for life I change mine every two years

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jeff

I dont know if RM use Avonride axles -

Sadly yes.

Originally Posted by jeff

.... sealed for life I change mine every two years

I changed the axles

Pete

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Oh I knew that was coming
Pete

We aim to please. Seriously, those bearings only have one place in life and thats on Caravan Axles where they perform as designed... for anything that gets immersed, paired taper rollers are what's required and regular servicing..

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Jono

Seriously, those bearings only have one place in life and thats on Caravan Axles where they perform as designed... for anything that gets immersed, paired taper rollers are what's required and regular servicing..

Couldn't agree more

Nasher

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by Jeff

I dont know if RM use Avonride axles..

Originally Posted by Pete7

Sadly yes.
I changed the axles

Pete

Agree with Pete7 here.
If your brakes need changing too, then weigh up the cost of a replacement axle with taper roller bearings. A new 1000kg axle, c/w brakes, cables, etc should come in at around £200. A new set of sealed bearings and brake shoes isn't far short of £120 and if your drums need changing, then your probably on the same cost as a new axle.
DHD

PS
Avonride also make a nice galv axle with taper roller bearings